Tyre-stabber told to get help over anger

A Blenheim man, appearing in Blenheim District Court yesterday, admitted two charges of willful damage after a domestic dispute with his partner.

Prosecutor Jason Munro said Heath Damian Moa, 31, and his partner were at home on August 31 when they began arguing about 9am. The argument became physical and the woman went to leave the address, but Moa got two steak knives and stabbed one of the tyres on her car.

She was on the phone to emergency services when Moa grabbed her phone and smashed it.

Moa told police he slashed the tyre to stop his partner from driving because she had been drinking, but offered no explanation for smashing the phone.

Judge Ian Mill said he was worried about the anger Moa exhibited during the incident, particularly if the relationship was going to continue.

"You are going to have to get help because you can't have these sorts of situations arising again." Moa was convicted, sentenced to 40 hours' community work and ordered to pay $150 in reparations to the victim.

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William Joseph Roberts, 26, pleaded guilty to charges of common assault and possession of cannabis.

Munro said Roberts approached a man about 10am on August 28 after seeing him pull into a car park in Charles St, Blenheim.

Roberts punched the victim without warning and continued to try to punch him two or three more times.

The victim drove straight to the police station after the assault, with no lasting injuries other than a swollen lip.

When police found Roberts they found a small amount of cannabis in his pocket. Roberts told police he assaulted the man because he had done something "disgusting" to his girlfriend.

The judge said Roberts did not have the right to take the law into his own hands.

He sentenced him to 60 hours' community work on the charge of common assault, and fined him $200 on the charge of possessing cannabis.

Sidnee Josephine Julie Kelly, 24, admitted punching a woman in the back of the head, and breaching bail.

Munro said Kelly was at Fairweathers bar, Blenheim, on June 8 when she and some friends pushed past a group of women on the dance floor.

A comment was made by one of the women in the group and Kelly's associate pushed her, causing her to fall to the ground.

She got up and spoke to Kelly and her associates again before turning her back to them, when Kelly punched her in the back of the head.

Kelly's lawyer Rob Harrison said she later apologised to the victim.

The judge said Kelly had a bad history of violence but had not been in much trouble recently.

She needed to deal with some issues she had with alcohol, he said.

Kelly was sentenced to six months' supervision on the assault charge and convicted and discharged on the breach of bail.

Junior Sekai, 18, of Blenheim, admitted a charge of common assault after punching another man in the face.

Sekai was in Scott St, Blenheim, about 1.20am on August 31, as was the victim, who was unknown to him.

Sekai walked over to the victim and punched him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground.

A fight then began between their associates.

Police arrived and Sekai said he had punched the man because he made a racial remark towards him.

The judge said it was unfortunate that Sekai was before the court on a charge of assault, when he had only one prior conviction, which was minor.

"Although you may have been right to be upset, you weren't right to go and punch someone," he said.

Sekai was fined $400.

John Roberts, 55, admitted a charge of possessing an offensive weapon after he confronted a motorist with a screwdriver when she tooted at him. Munro said Roberts pulled out in front of the victim in Seymour St, Blenheim, on August 12 about 2.20pm.

The woman tooted at him and he stopped his car in the middle of the road, waving his arms around before picking up an eight-inch screwdriver and getting out of the car.

He approached the woman's vehicle and she told him she tooted because he had pulled out in front of her, and if he continued driving in that manner he could hurt somebody.

Roberts got back into his car and left, before the victim called police. When they located him at home he admitted his actions, saying he had been very angry. He was sentenced to 40 hours' community work.

Clinton Grant Miller, 24, admitted three charges of assaulting police and one of wilful damage.

The court was told that Miller, an associate and a small dog were walking along Girling Rd in Spring Creek about 6.20pm on August 13.

An animal control officer driving a Maataa Waka truck pulled over and approached Miller, asking him to put the dog on a lead.

He began yelling at the woman, telling her she couldn't tell him what to do and spat on her truck.

She got back into the truck and called police, who told her to keep Miller in sight until they arrived.

When Miller saw her, he approached the truck, kicking it and denting the door panel.

Two police officers arrived and tried to speak to Miller about the incident, but he began verbally abusing them.

He pulled away as they tried to handcuff him and a struggle ensued, before Miller punched one of the officers. He kicked both officers during the struggle that followed.

Miller offered no explanation for his actions.

The judge convicted Miller, sentenced him to 100 hours' community work, and ordered him to pay $890.82 in reparations for the damage to the animal control officer's truck.

Dwayne Dennis O'Dell, 39, fisherman, admitted driving while disqualified, after he was stopped in Lucas St, Blenheim, about 1.40pm on August 25.

He had been disqualified from driving on April 9, for six months.

O'Dell told police he thought the disqualification had ended.

Mill fined him $400 and disqualified him for a further six months.

Atanatiu Holder, 18, pleaded guilty to possession of utensils for the consumption of cannabis.

Police conducted a search of a Blenheim house to do with an unrelated matter, where they found five homemade cannabis bongs.

Holder admitted the bongs were his and said he used them to smoke cannabis. He was fined $200.

Malaki Christopher Mulitalo, 49, admitted a charge of common assault and was remanded until September 29 for restorative justice to be explored.

Paul Junior Kahui, 31, was remanded without plea on charges of resisting police and wilful damage. He was to apply for legal aid and reappear on September 15.

David James Bishop, 53, labourer, of Springlands, was sentenced to 80 hours' community work on a charge of driving while disqualified. Bishop was also disqualified for a further six months, to start when the existing disqualification ended.

Mark Anthony Andrew Gillam was sentenced to 200 hours' community work on two charges of theft. He was convicted and discharged on a further charge of wilful damage.

Dyan Connor Bradshaw, 23, was remanded until September 8 on charges of cultivating cannabis, and possession of cannabis for supply.

Carla Mary Lambert, 40, was remanded for a case review hearing on October 13 after denying a charge of common assault.

Timothy Mark Telfer was remanded without plea until September 15 on a charge of driving while suspended.

Candace Fiona Marris, 46, admitted her third or subsequent charge of driving while suspended and was remanded until September 15 for sentence.

Hannah-Lee Carrick, 23, was remanded for sentence on September 29 on a charge of breaching her community work.

Benjamin Heath Jarden, 23, was remanded without plea on charges of male assaults female and wilful damage. He was to appear again on September 15.